Children Play Barns = Germ Farms ?

Wibbs wrote: »

The great outdoors is easier to clean? The more a kids immune system is tested it seems the better for the kid and later adult.

Yes and no. From an evolutionary perspective indoor soft play centres, schools and creches are not normal and they do create a 'hot house' breeding ground for germs that hasn't existed through most of our evolution. Additionally, the human immune system doesn't fully develop until between 4 and 7 years old. Until then, humans have evolved to rely on their mother's immune system through breastmilk. When they pick up an infection they transmit the virus/bacteria to their mother who's mature immune system then produces the antibodies and sends them back to the child through her milk. Very few children in this part of the world breastfeed for a biologically normal amount of time so this coupled with regular exposure to 'hot housed' germs isn't necessarily the best for the child.

Constant low level exposure is massively beneficial to a child. In fact I'd argue that it's our biological norm and it is lack of exposure that is detrimental rather than the other way around. It's why children who live from infancy with dogs are significantly healthier than their non pet owning counterparts. Living with animals ensures that the child is constantly exposed to germs without getting sick, which allows their immune system to develop slowly and without being put under pressure. And add to this the fact that over use and abuse of antibiotics is creating new, stronger bacterial strains and it's absolutely worth considering the risks of indoor play centres rather than just assuming any and all germ exposure is a good thing.

I do take my son to indoor soft play centres because he loves them and during off peak times adults are allowed on the play equipment and who among us is so dead inside that they don't get giddy at the thought of hurtling down the giant slide of a wet Tuesday morning. But I'm under no illusion that the germs he is exposed to there are good for him. Not in the way that climbing into the dog's bed for a hug, licking grass, eating dirt and getting covered in mud are good for him. If I feel he is under the weather I avoid playcentres, both for his sake and that of other children but I'll happily send him outdoors with the dogs.

Kids are germs.